Cotter key



April 7, 1925. ,532,4s

M. K. MALONE "coTTER KEY Filed Jan. 15. 19,25

IN? u Patentecl Apr. 7, 19254.

MACKEY K. MALONE, OF

WILLS POINT, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE '1'0 1). IIilON SANDERS, OF WILLS POINT, TEXAS.

co'r'rnn. mir;

' Appntmon nea January s, 1925. serial no. 2,651,

wire and Which is constructed as to insure.

its being easily driven into a hole to lock the parts in position, the operation of driving 'it in operating also to lock the pin and eliminate vibration.

Another object is to so construct a key of this character with its free ends so arranged and formed as to cut into each other and permit the moving side to pry back the other side of the key and force it into locking position.

With-the foregoing and other objects in view Which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts and in the details -of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I the accompanying drawings:--

Figure 1 -represents a side elevation of a cotter key constructed in accordance with this invention, shown in position ready to be struck and locked;

Fjg. 2 is a similar view showing the key after it has been locked;

Fig. 3 is a 'detail front elevation showing the meeting ends of the key; and

Fig. 4 isan end elevation thereof;

In the embodiment illustrated the cotter pins as a whole are formed of half round heavy wire and are made on a suitable automatic wire forming machine of lengths cut from a coil of any desired'diameter and of anyrequired length. The wire is bent to form an eye or head 1 made in the form of a triangle with the' flat faces of the wre brought together to provide the short leg 2 and the long leg 3, the side 4 of the trangu- -Point, in the 4county of Van Zandt.

- nates Wear from -vibration lar head 1 isin alinement With and forms a continuationvof the leg :2 .while theside 5 of said headn extends .substantiallyat right angles to leg 4, the' side 6 which connects the sides 4 and 5 completesfthe'triangle. The

'leg 3 extends from side 5 downward to the end ofleg and Projects beyond said leg end having ts terminal bent or turned in- Wardly upon the Aflat face thereof as shown at 6, said terminal 6 being in alinement with the short leg 2,,andfino'rmally abutting the end of said leg before :the-pin is inserted in the work as meeting ends of these legs are beveled in planes at right angles to each other so that the cuttin-g edges 7 and 8 thereof will cut into each other and when the leg 2 is driven forward it will force back the other leg of the key into position shown in Fig. 2 'forming a substantially triangular locking member at this end of the key. This separation of'the ends of the key provides tension in the hole in which the key is placed and elimi- The arrangement of 'the terminal 6 in alinement with leg 2 provides a single end to be inserted in the hole.

In the use of this key it is placed through the hole in'the work as shown in Fig. 1 and then the end 10 is struck causing the leg 2 to move .longitudinally forward on leg 8 Which latter s stationary owing to the abutment formed by the side 5 of the triangular head 1 bear-ing against the Work. The forward movement of leg 2 owing to its biting engagement with the end 6 of leg 3 will force said end 6-back causing leg 3 beyond the work to be bent at an cblique angle as shown in Fig. 2 and thereby looking the pin r in operative working position it being underto the end of leg 2 as shown in Fig.'2 so that when it is desired to remove the keya suitable implement such as a screW-drver may -be inserted between these ends for forcing end 6 outward to disengage it fromend 2; y

To remove the cotter pm or key the end is shown'clearly in Fig. 1. The

G is bent out or broken off and a quick nll exerted on tle head 1 will remove the ey from the work.

This key may be used as ordinary cottcr keys of the old type by striking a slight blow on the head 1 and breaking ofl the end 6 of leg 3 and finishing by bending back both ends.

I claimz- 1. A cotter pin havino` a pair of legs of different lengths With aendable, head connectinflr one end, the terminal of the longer leo' being folded inwardly and arranged in alnement With the short leg, the meeting ends of said legs having abutting biting engagement whereby the body portion of the longer leg is bent laterally on the longitudinal movement of the shorter leg in one direction.

2. A cotter pin havin a air of' legs of difi'erent lengths With aendable head connectin one end, the terminal of the llong leg beng folded inwardly and arranged in alinement with the short leg and contact in therewith, the meeting ends of said legs bengv beveled to provide bitin edges arranged in planes at right ang es to each' other so that When the short leg is moved outwardly, 'the folded endof the long leg will be moved laterally to form a looking connection with the work.

3. A cotter pin having a pair of legs connected by a head formed as a triangle, one side of said triangle being substantally in alinement with and forming a continuation of one of said legs, another side of the triangle being substantially at right angles to the other leg and forming an abutment for the head, the third side of the triangle connecting the other two sides and forming a strut to force the first side outward when forced down to lock the pin, one of said legs being longer than the other and one stationary and the other movable, the longer leg having a terminal folded inwardly in ahnement With the shorter With the ends of said legs beveled in opposite directions to form right angularly disposed biting edges to provide for the lateral' bending of the long leg when the short leg is forced forwardly.

. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Wit-nesses.

MACKEY K. MALONE. VVitnesses:

J. A. OxFonn, C. O. BLArr. 

